US mobile owners braced for ‘Trump alert’

More than 200 million US mobile phones have received a test “Presidential Alert” notification.

The trial is designed to check that a previously unused emergency communications system works properly.

Unlike other alerts – such as natural disaster warnings – there was no way to opt out, except switching a device off or blocking its cellular connection.

Some have described the test as a “Trump Alert” – but the US leader was not personally involved in the trial.

Instead, the nationwide event is being run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), which would also be in direct control of the system if a real alert was ordered by the US President, Donald Trump.

Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption People look at their phones during the alert in New York’s Grand Central Station

A journalist, a breastfeeding advocate and a fitness instructor teamed up to sue Fema, claiming the technology was a violation of their rights to be free from “government-compelled listening”.

The legal action alleged that the test could be “traumatic” to children and that the system was open to abuse.

Image copyrightGetty Images

“Officials – including [President] Trump – are free to define ‘act of terrorism’ and ‘threat to public safety’ as they see fit, potentially broadcasting arbitrary, biased, irrational and/or content-based messages to hundreds of millions of people,” the legal action claimed.

However, a New York judge refused the request at a hearing on Wednesday morning.

Others have used social media to complain about and mock the trial. Several have noted that anyone wanting to know the president’s thoughts can turn to Twitter.